OTR Reefer Driver Jobs in Texas — Now Hiring

What does a reefer driver actually haul?

This over-the-road reefer seat is domiciled in Houston, Texas. The work is the state's freight, not a generic reefer explainer — the lanes out of Houston set the loads.

Full reefer driver guide — top carriers, endorsements and career path

Where in Texas would you actually be running?

Freight here moves on a handful of named lanes. These are the ones a reefer seat domiciled in Houston is most likely to see.

• Dallas: I-35E, I-30, I-20 — Technology and Consumer Goods Distribution freight.
• Houston: I-10, I-45, I-69 — Petrochemical and Oil & Gas Equipment freight.
• Laredo: I-35, US-59, US-83 — Cross-Border Trade and Customs Brokerage freight.
• San Antonio: I-35, I-10, I-37 — Military & Defense and Cross-Border Logistics freight.

What does this reefer seat pay in Texas?

The band on this posting is $58,000 - $82,000/year. Where you land inside it comes down to verifiable experience, the lane you take, and your safety record.

For context, the statewide CDL-A average is $57,990. Wages here are rising — Texas is one of the top trucking states with rising wages driven by energy sector hauling, cross-border trade through Laredo, massive DFW distribution growth, and Port of Houston activity.

Texas runs a cost-of-living index of 92, so this band is worth roughly $63,033 once living costs are taken out. That number is what to compare against an offer in another state.

• Strongest-paying metros in Texas:
• Houston — about $68,428
• Dallas — about $68,428
• Laredo — about $57,990

Texas CDL pay breakdown by experience level and equipment

What do you need to qualify?

• CDL-A and 1+ years of verifiable driving time.
• Domiciled in or around Houston, TX — that is the reset market, not a yard you clock into.

Full reefer requirements and endorsements

What is the hardest part of this job?

We would rather you know now than quit in week three. The one that catches people on this seat: reefer unit breakdowns can happen at the worst times — a mechanical failure at 2 AM means you're on the phone with the maintenance line while your load thaws

Pros, cons and a day in the life of a reefer driver

What should a reefer driver know before running Texas?

Speed limits for trucks in Texas run 75-85 mph (varies by road, same as cars). Rural: 85 mph on SH 130 (highest in US), 75 mph on most rural interstates. Tolls: Extensive toll network: SH 130, Dallas North Tollway, Sam Houston Tollway, Hardy Toll Road, LBJ Express, NTE Express, many more. TxTag/TollTag transponder essential.

Fuel tax in Texas is $0.20 per gallon diesel + federal, which matters if you are comparing per-mile offers across state lines. Inspection climate: Moderate to high. Texas DPS Motor Carrier Bureau is active. Focus on border crossings (Laredo, El Paso), I-35 corridor, and oil field areas.

Which Texas rules catch reefer drivers out?

• Gross weight limit: 80,000 lbs (84,000 lbs on state roads, higher with permit)
• Axle weight: 20,000 lbs single axle, 34,000 lbs tandem
• Truck speed limits: 85 mph on SH 130 (highest in US), 75 mph on most rural interstates rural, 55-65 mph urban
• Diesel fuel tax: $0.20 per gallon diesel + federal
• Tolls: Extensive toll network: SH 130, Dallas North Tollway, Sam Houston Tollway, Hardy Toll Road, LBJ Express, NTE Express, many more. TxTag/TollTag transponder essential.
• Inspection posture: Moderate to high. Texas DPS Motor Carrier Bureau is active. Focus on border crossings (Laredo, El Paso), I-35 corridor, and oil field areas.
• Texas has the highest speed limit in the US (85 mph on SH 130)
• Extensive toll road network across Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin metro areas
• Oil field equipment hauling is a massive industry in west Texas (Permian Basin)

All Texas driving jobs and state regulations

How does applying through us work?

1. 1You send the short form on this page. It takes under a minute and needs no resume.
2. 2A recruiter reads it and calls you — a real person, not an automated screen.
3. 3We match you against the over-the-road reefer openings our client carriers have right now, including ones never posted publicly.
4. 4You choose which to interview for. Nothing is submitted anywhere without you saying yes.
5. 5There is no cost to you at any point. Carriers pay us, drivers never do.

Are these jobs actually live?

Yes — and it is a fair thing to ask, because plenty of driver postings are not.

Ahmad Qazi, sales representative at TruckingJobsInUSA: “Carriers have filled seats through this platform, and the owners we place drivers with are straightforward to deal with. If a seat is gone, we take the posting down rather than leave it up to collect applications.”

Every posting on this site is republished on the date shown, so what you are reading is current recruitment, not an archive.